Dish Network vs. Fox Sports

[10,000 Casts]

How am I supposed to get to know our new team if I can't even watch a game! I hope they get thier contract issues solved soon. I'm kind of glad that Dish is standing up to the demands of the big bad network, but on the other hand it's hockey season!!! I like most people couldn't get out of my contract if I tried. I never thought I'd say this but I am looking forward to a MY29 or Channel 45 game.

[solbes]

What are the specific requirements on the contract? Is this just to satisfy free equipment/installation? I'm thinking of ditching am assuming I can do so I want.

[berfish]

I signed up with Dish Network at the end of June and signed a two year contract at $24 a month for the first year then it goes to $44 dollars for the next year. I contacted Direct TV and they were going to be a little more expensive so I went with Dish. I also mentioned on the phone that all I really care about is FSN since the Twins WIld and Gophers are on all the time. FSN was only another $5 a month plus it came with some other dumb channels that I never watch. It was still cheaper than Direct TV. So I called them last night since I was to miss the first wild game that I could sit down and watch. They said they are giving subscribers the NHL Center Ice package for free for a couple weeks until they hopefully settle with Fox. Great! Now I get all games on for every night! Well last night I got every game except the Wild. When I called back and told them it said "unable to view" they told me it was blacked out in our area. I asked them why. They said they didn't know...possibly not a sellout. I told them the Wild have sold out every game in 10 years....they still didn't know what to say. I am still unhappy about it and I don't think it would pay for me to switch to Direct TV until my contract is up.

Solbes...not sure what the specifics are on the contract but I think for me it is over $100.

[10,000 Casts]

I think there are many more than 1 contract depending on many factors. Mine is a 2 year contract and I know that I would have to pay a fee to cancel it. When I got it last August, I think I got free istillation and a free dish and I got some pkg like the platinum 1200 some odd pkg for the price of the gold 900 some odd pkg.

I just hope they settle this quickly but I can't imagine that FSN is high on the list of things to do at Dish network.. If I was the Wild, I would be really mad.. The first home game and a sellout and a good game none the less, they are struggling for good exposure right now and this doesn't help.

[JimBuck]

It's really unfortunate for Dish subscribers. I remember mid-season last year receiving a handout from a guy in the parking lot regarding Dishs plans to cancel Fox Sports. These cable companies are all evil, it's just a matter of picking your poison IMO. The wild could use all the viewers they can get. Hopefully it gets resolved soon.

I currently have Comcast and while they do have Wild games, not a month goes by that I don't have to call and get my bill straightened out. Slimy ISP's...

[scsavre]

I had the same problem with versus and Dtv last year. They gave me the NHL package, but unfortunately if the wild were on VS they were blacked out on NHL package.

Berfish, I am guessing there is some issue like that going on for you. I have noticed that you need to watch a lot of those NHL package games on the fox affiliate rather then the package channel

[Neighbor_guy]

Most of the time, when the game is offered on FSN in your area it will be blacked out on the package. Reason being, the "Local" channel is offering the show.

eg. If the Vikings are playing on Monday Night Football on ESPN and Channel 5 decides to pick it up, when you hit 206 (direcTv) it will say "unavailable in your area" because your local is showing it.

The Pi**ing match between Fox and CableVision will effect the games on My29 as well, so dont count on seeing them there. 45 you will get to see, but unless they resolve all this it will be trouble for the year.

[OnAFly]

I have the same problem with Comcast the JimBuck has. I sign a contract that "guarantees" no price hikes for 2 years, 3 months later my bill increases by 30%. I'm sure the strategy is that some percentage of people will just continue paying, those that complain will get their bill lowered.

Then they block their signals so every TV you have has to have a decoder. This decoder requires a direct signal from the cable coming into the house to be activated. Everything is a huge PITA with them. I wish they'd put all local sports on 11 or 9 or something like that. I wouldn't bother with cable if that were the case.

[berfish]

Came in from bow-hunting last evening and decided to try to view the Wild game on NHL Center Ice or FSN. Still blocked. I called to see about canceling Dish and switching to DirectTV. After talking to a operator for a little while they transferred me to a account manager. She was from MN and understood my disappointment with Dish and Fox because she too is a Wild fan. Anyway...she offered another sports channel package and three pay-per-view coupons. I still wanted to know how to get out of my contract. She finally told me it would be $340.00! I guess it is $17.00 per month left on you contract. Not worth it to me. Dang.

Still no word about Dish and Fox coming to an agreement. I have a hard time believing they won't settle by Nov.1 when Dish subscribers are set to lose all Fox channels. The World Series will be on and there is a lot of NFL games on Fox as well. You would think fox would lose money too. Hopefully they get settled soon.

[BartmanMN]

Luckily I was on the top 120 plus package. The Plus is basically for Fox sports net as long as you have the Locals package. I dropped the 'Plus' part of the package until they get the deal worked out. Very annoying though